New Delhi, August 11: Civil Aviation Secretary Sameer Kumar Sinha and senior officials met with Air India CEO Campbell Wilson on Tuesday. The discussion centered on the turbulence incident involving Tata Group’s airline during a flight from Phuket to Delhi.
Last week, the aircraft, cruising at 36,000 feet, suddenly dropped 300 feet, resulting in serious injuries to 17 passengers on board.
In addition to the Civil Aviation Secretary, the meeting included Civil Aviation Director General Veer Vikram Yadav and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Director General G.V.G. Yugandhar.
Also present were Pradeep Singh Kharola, Executive Advisor to Tata Sons’ Chairman and former Civil Aviation Secretary, along with Air India’s Flight Safety Head Deepak Joshi.
Sources indicated that the Civil Aviation Ministry summoned three senior airline officials to provide detailed information regarding the August 4 incident involving Air India’s A320neo aircraft, which was traveling from Thailand’s Phuket to Delhi.
Former bureaucrat Kharola currently serves as an Executive Advisor to Tata Sons and Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran. Reports suggest that the Airbus A320 flight AI2379 experienced technical issues, including hydraulic failure and autopilot disconnection during the flight.
Airbus, the manufacturer of the aircraft, and France’s aviation accident investigation agency BEA will participate in the investigation. As the aircraft manufacturer, Airbus may offer technical assistance to investigators. This involvement is part of the technical support provided by manufacturers under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13, which may include helping investigators understand the aircraft’s systems and analyze technical and flight data.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has classified the incident as a “serious incident.” The investigation will examine the sudden altitude change and the actions taken by the flight crew. As part of the inquiry, the aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been secured for analysis.
These recordings are expected to aid investigators in understanding the aircraft’s response during turbulence and determining if any aircraft systems or warnings were involved.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has removed both pilots from the roster pending the investigation’s completion.
After arriving in Delhi, the pilots underwent post-flight screening for psychoactive substances. The Civil Aviation Ministry reported on Sunday that the initial screening test for the pilot-in-command was “not negative,” and the sample has been sent for confirmatory testing. The government stated that further action will be based on the results of the investigation and confirmation tests.
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